Overall, this is good stuff, though I disagree on some of the mechanics and some of the "feel" of it.
Temples and Acolytes. I suspect I don't view a typical clan Earth temple in the same way. My impression is that Michael has them as edifices which to a large extent are separated from the local community - in terms of their spirituality and their function as a sanctuary and a school. A sort of church, with an aloof vicar, friendly community verger, and a sunday school for the village kids?
I always saw the Ernaldan temple as an integral part of the community, and the priestess not set apart, but a community leader involved with all of the women (and men) on a daily basis. The priestess next door. The head woman of the clan. The temple itself I don't necessarily see as a building of any sort. It could be a sacred oak, standing stone, plough, or a hill. It must be a place/thing that can be worshipped at on a regular basis by the whole clan.
I always saw acolytes as apprentice priestesses, aides/friends/bosum buddies to the priestess, or other important women in the clan. I wouldn't expect more than one or two per clan, and I'd expect only one priestess per clan.
Now, larger regional temples (which might or might not be centred around a tribe), would appear more spiritual and more distant as they would be involved in more solitary and "higher" duties. While the temple itself might be a holy site or feature, there would have to be living quarters etc. - like a typical temple. It is here that specialisation in terms of sub-cults would exist.
>A few maidens are chosen by Ty Kora Tek at early age, and
>they have an easier time being initiated into this subcult.
I don't see this at all. The progression to Ty Kora Tek must be natural and through all of the female phases of life. Somehow, I don't like the idea of young Voria initiates being picked out and told, "You'll make a good crone in a few years". How can they, unless they have lived life to the full? The only way to get initiated into this sub-cult is to grow old and morbid.
Vorian priestesses? I reckon that your membership of many of the sub-cults is dependant on your age and stage in life. Youth before marriage (Voria), Mother and matron (Ernalda), and post-menopause crone (Asrelia & Ty Kora Tek). So the Voria priestess would be the youngest unmarried Earth Priestess.
Spell availability for initiates would be dependant on age as well. An old-aged initiate couldn't sacrifice for Voria's spells, or for fertility-related spells.
Other deities and spirits would be sub-cults due to a local need, requirement or quirk. If there's a large number of herd beasts in a particular region then that regional temple may have a Eiritha sub-cult with a priestess and acolytes. Babeester Gor will probably always exist where potential violations against the earth occur, though it's doubtful if any dedicated worshippers will exist at clan level.
Does this make sense?
Kingdom of War:
All I'll say on this is that I'm in the Nick Brooke and Martin Laurie camp on this one! I never want my PC's to learn that Lord Death on a Horse is misunderstood. That his best friends are poets, artists and sculptors, that he takes his teddy bear with him wherever he goes, and that his real ambition is to settle down and grow prize-winning pumpkins. And they really don't want to know that the Joy Division is actually a group of dedicated musicians who entertain the troops with avant garde popular music.
Cheers,
David Hall
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